Venetian blind slat retainer



Oct. 1 6, 1951 WALKER 2,571,317

VENETIAN BLIND SLAT RETAINER Filed Nov. 6, 1948 Patented Get. 16, 1951UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE VENETIAN BLIND SLAT RETAINER Brooks Walker,Piedmont, Calif. Application November s, 1948, Serial No. 58,765

6 Claims.

This invention pertains to improvements in the methods of securing slatsto ladder tapes in Venetian blinds when the slats are to be removable bythe use of offset lifting cords as shown in my U. S. Patent No.2,200,349.

The invention pertains primarily to the use of sliding members such aswires which are secured for sliding movement to the Venetian blind slatby forming suitable offset punches in metal slats to receive the slidingmember or by a hole punched in the slat through which the sliding memberpasses for rotational sliding movement. With apertures in the slatsthrough which the cross members may be inserted by pressing the crossmember upwardly with the finger, the sliding member can be insertedunder the cross member where it rises through the aperture to secure theslat suitably to the cross member in a positive manner, at the same timeallowing a sliding movement of the slat relative to the cross member forproper alignment between the side members of the ladder tapes and thepositioning of the slat on the ladder rung for the most efiectiveclosing of the slats in the two tilted positions of the slats.

Further objects of the invention will be made clear in the attachedspecifications, drawings, and claims.

I have illustrated my invention by way of example in the accompanyingdrawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view, partly cut away, showing a portion of aslat on a portion of the ladder tape and the means for securing thesame.

Figure 2 is a partially cut away perspective view showing another formof the invention.

Figure 3 is a perspective view showing a section of a wooden orcomposition slat and a section of the supporting ladder tape showinganother form of the invention.

Figure 4 is a perspective view of a portion of a metallic slat and aportion of a ladder tape, including a form of the invention similar tothat shown in Figure 3.

In all views, like numerals of reference refer to corresponding partsthroughout said views.

In Figure 1, I have shown'a ladder tape I with sides at each edge of theslats 15 which it supports in spaced relationship in any conventionalmanner. The slat has two cut-out portions l6 and H which may be round,oblong, or rectangular and are adapted to receive a portion of theladder rung H when the same is pushed through the opening by theoperators fingers when the slats are to be attached to the ladder rung.The slat is pierced and offset at Ia and Ila to form a suitable openingand bearing for 2 locking pins I! and 22 which may be formed of wirewith a rounded end which will not scratch or pierce the operators fingerand will not catch on the ladder rung when the same is inserted. Thespring tension between the double portion of the locking pins 22 and I1where they pass through the pierced portion of the slat 15a and Ila,respectively, keep the pins in their desired position relative to theslat during the normal operation of the blind.

When it is desired to disengage the slat for cleaning or painting orother purposes, pin" is retracted and the ladder rung at the right-handside of the ladder tapes on which slat l5 rests is released and the slatcan be removed, it being necessary to have only one pair of pins I1 and22 adjacent 'to one ladder rung regardless of whether there are two ormore ladder tapes. in a blind. Stabilization of slat I5 relative to oneladder tape at I0 is sufiicient for retention'of the slat. Since theladder rungs are mostly staggered, it may be desirable to provide twopins as shown at I! and 22 so that the slats will not have to be sortedfor the right and left-hand positioning of ladder rungs where all theslats are to be secured to one ladder tape. However, if double ladderrungs are used, only one pin in one .position on all slats may benecessary in orderv to engage the ladder rung at one side of the tape.The slats with one hole and one pin can be reversed in position and onepin used to engage the ladder rungs at alternate ladder tapes, therebyrequiring only one hole and one pin per slat.

In Figure 2, I have shown an alternate construction in which ladder tapeIt] supports slat 30 which has two openings 30a..and 30b adapted toreceive the ladder rung H. Locking pin 35 goes through two punched andoffset openings in a slat to form a suitable sliding support for thelocking pin 35. The two openings 30a and 302) are adapted to overlaycorrectly the staggered positions of the ladder rungs II so that the pinmay be slid either to the right or to the left to engage the ladderrungs as they occur in staggered relation underneath the slats. Thisconstruction obviously requires only one pin for the staggered ladderrungs rather than the two as shown in Figure 1. However, the handle atthe end of the pin for control cannot be quite as large in thisconstruction as when two pins are used. There are some cost and assemblyadvantages to this construction. Lifting of the blind is accomplished bylift cord 20 in all figures; the lift cords are in the ofiset positionas shown in my U. S. Patent No. 2,200,349.

In Figures 3 and 4, ladder tape l0 supports the slat III) by means ofcross rung II which directly underlies the slat. Rotating locking pin 45for the wooden or composition slat H in Figure 3, or rotating pin 41 formetallic slat 50 in Figure 4, has a curved arcuate end 45a and 41a,respectively, which is preferably curved on a radius about the pivotpoint of the sliding pin 45 or 41, respectively. This pivot point ispreferably equidistant between the two openings 40a and 4017 as shown inFigure 3, or equidistant between openings 50a and 50b as shown in Figure4. The portion of the wire rotating pin 45 which underlies the slat ispreferably located so as to point at the midpoint of end 45a to form asuitable bind with the slat so that the pin will stay in any position inwhich it is desired for retention or non-retention of slat H0 to theladder rung of the slat supporting tape. By properly forming the pinrelative to the pivot point, the pin will engage cross rungs at eitheropening 40a or 40b. The pin will engage the cross rung at either opening40a or dllb in Figure 3, or pin 47 will engage the cross rung atopenings 50a and 50b in Figure 4. The pin is attached to the slat byinserting the underlying end through the opening in the slat as at 45b,possibly when the end 45a is turned away from the slat. The pin can beslightly bent after inserting in the slat to get the necessary tension,if added tension is needed.

Slat I I0 is shown as a wooden slat whereas slat 50 in Figure 4 is shownas a curved metal slat, both of conventional construction. Obviously,paper covered slats or slats of any other contour or material may beused within the scope of this invention. One advantage in the type ofconstruction shown in Figures 1 through 4 is that the slat does not haveto be deflected in order to engage and disengage the slat and the crossrung. At the same time, the retention between the slat and the crossrung is very positive and is suitable for use in connection with stringladder tapes as shown as opposed to woven ladder tapes which can beengaged by the slat by the use of tongues as shown in Patent No.2,311,716 issued to this applicant.

. I. do not wish in any Way to limit myself to the exact details or modeof operation set forth in the specification and drawings, for it will beobvious that wide departure may be made in the way of details withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope of my invention which is set forthin the following claims.

I claim as my invention: 1. In a Venetian blind having ladder tapes,

cross rungs and slats, said slats having openings therethrough, a pinmovably secured to the slat and positioned as to pass over the saidopening, a portion of the cross rung passing up through the slat openingand held in the opening by the pin.

2. In a Venetian blind having ladder tapes, cross rungs and slats, saidslats having openings therethrough, a pin movably secured to the slatfor sliding movement across and away from the said opening, a portion ofsaid cross rung passing up through the slat opening and held by the pinwhen across the opening.

3. In a Venetian blind having ladder tapes, cross rungs and slats, saidslats having openings therethrough. a pin movably secured to the slatfor pivotal movement across and away from the said opening, a portion ofsaid cross rung passing up through the slat opening and held by the pinwhen across the opening.

4. In a Venetian blind having ladder tapes, cross rungs and slats, saidslat having spaced openings therein, a pin movably secured to the slatintermediate of the openings and positioned to pass over one of theopenings in either extended position of the pin, a portion of the crossrung passing up through one of the openings and held in the opening bythe pin.

5. In a Venetian blind having ladder tapes, cross rungs and slats, saidslat having spaced openings therein, a pin movably secured to the slatintermediate of the openings and positioned to slide over one of theopenings in either extended position of the pin, a portion of the crossrung passing up through one of the openings and held in the opening bythe pin.

6. In a Venetian blind having ladder tapes, cross rungs and slats, saidslat having spaced openings therein, a pin movably secured to the slatintermediate of the openings and positioned for pivotal movement acrossone of the openings in either extended position of the pin, a portion ofthe cross rung passing up through one of the openings and held in theopening by the pm.

BROOKS WALKER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 188,761 Potter May 13, 18732,311,716 Walker Feb. 23, 1943

